Japanese Pitcher Leaves Two Major Hints for Yankees

A coveted starting pitcher from Japan might head to the New York Yankees, given some of his own preferences.

Jul 12, 2020; Bronx, New York, United States; A view of the New York Yankees logo and seat number of an empty seat during a simulated game during summer camp workouts at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Tatsuya Imai is a hot topic this offseason. The Japanese right-hander became available just one week ago, and the New York Yankees are already among the favorites to land him. In a recent interview with former MLB star Daisuke Matsuzaka on "Hodo Station", Imai seemed to drop two major hints that he might prefer a contender that isn't the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He Wants to Take Down the Dodgers

The Dodgers, who have now secured back-to-back World Series wins with some of the best talent in the world from Japan, already appear to have a strong relationship with Nippon Professional Baseball. According to Imai, he would rather take them down than join ranks with them.

“Of course, I’d enjoy playing alongside [Shohei] Ohtani, [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto and [Roki] Sasaki,” Imai said to Matsuzaka, h/t Steve Berman of The Athletic. “But winning against a team like that and becoming a World Champion would be the most valuable thing in my life. If anything, I’d rather take them down.”

Ohtani and Yamamoto, in particular, were crucial to the Dodgers' success this season, with Ohtani winning his fourth MVP award for 2025 and Yamamoto winning World Series MVP for his heroics in the championship series. The Dodgers are infuriating MLB fans with their dominance, and Imai clearly wants to play for a contender. The Yankees may be the perfect fit.

Tatsuya Imai has his eyes set on beating the Dodgers 👀 pic.twitter.com/t71jOG9J7S

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 24, 2025

He Might Want the Challenge of "Surviving" On His Own

In the same interview, Imai told Matsuzaka that he isn't looking to be on a team that already has plenty of Japanese talent, sharing that he wants the challenge of surviving on his own and experiencing the cultural differences that he would on a different team.

“If there were another Japanese player on the same team, I could just ask them about anything, right?” Imai said. “But that’s actually not what I’m looking for. In a way, I want to experience that sense of survival. When I come face-to-face with cultural differences, I want to see how I can overcome them on my own — that’s part of what I’m excited about.”

Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images | Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

The Yankees have already expressed interest in landing a Japanese star. At the recent MLB general manager meetings, Yankees GM Brian Cashman expressed that it has been "too long" since the Yankees had secured a player from Japan on their roster. In his recent press appearance, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner echoed the sentiment.

"Do I feel it would be good to have Japanese representation, of course!" Steinbrenner said, when asked. "[...] We were very much in on Yamamoto as you know, it did not work out. [...] It was not for lack of trying, I can assure you of that."

"Baseball is king in Japan. A lot of Japanese fans here in the US would love to see [a player play for the Yankees]. We've tried and we'll continue to try."

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